Book Samantha for your next Event
churches, schools, conferences & staff trainings
Since beginning my career in 2008, my eyes have been opened to this issue, that many deal with in silence.
– Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. adults live with a mental illness (NIMH)
– Prevalence of mental illness is higher among women than men (NIMH)
– About half of individuals with a mental illness began experiencing by age 14 (NAMI)
– The average delay between onset of symptoms and receiving treatment is 8-10 years (NAMI)
– Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death overall in the U.S. (NIMH)
– Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 10-34 year olds (NIMH)
– Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among 35-54 year olds (NIMH)
My message to those suffering because of these issues is hope for restoration and encouragement to reach out for support. Medication management, therapy, healthy family dynamics, and open discussions are key components to making positive changes in mental health. The Lord has identified my mission field as the church, where so many are hurting. My desire is to see communities and churches take a stand in the value we place on mental health.
Empowering & encouraging
Samantha speaks with authenticity and vulnerability as she openly discusses the challenges and impacts of mental health within the church. She leads her audiences into a call of healing through faith in the only one who can set them free.
Where Samantha Speaks
contact Samantha for available venues & events
churches & Staff trainings
Church staff members are often the first people in contact with those hurting in the church. This reason alone makes it imperative that they be knowledgable in child, teen, adult, and family mental health issues. Samantha has a desire to collaborate with pastors/staff members for training, educating, and giving insight into the different psychiatric services they can refer to or seek for themselves.
Schools
Samantha goes into individual classrooms and parish wide events to educate students on mental health issues, in effort to combat stereotypes within the school system. She discusses depression, anxiety, warning signs for self-harm/suicide behaviors, self-esteem, and coping skills appropriate to the audience/age. The ultimate goal is to educate, spread awareness, and offer support to administration. After these presentations, many students will open up to teachers and speak out about what they are dealing with, finally feeling safe enough to ask for help.
Youth/Teen Conferences
Youth are faced with pressures and issues every single day, whether they are attending church or not. Samantha’s passion for youth stems from over a decade of working with this population, in the psychiatric setting and in youth ministry. She knows the importance of being honest and having open communication about their daily struggles. Her goal is to discuss, educate, and to empower youth to become more self aware of the issues they are facing in regards to pressures, self-esteem and own mental health, as well as, healing from family dynamic issues. Samantha has a passion to empower these teens to overcome what society places on them by teaching them how their spiritual health can be the largest tool in their tool belt to cope with these issues. Having this tool belt can ultimately give them life saving tools for their futures.
Ladies retreats & events
As every stage of life differs, so does the healing process. When an adult client continues to struggle with childhood issues or even current stressors, our mental health is jeopardized. Women deal with a multitude of issues leading to anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and even suicidal ideation. Samantha’s message is hope for healing in the areas these ladies find themselves in and encouragement to locate the proper support system to heal.